Students and staff at Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) have raised more that £1,400 for a charity that promotes organ donation and post-transplant activities.
The money was raised in memory of Sarah Port, a BSCS student who sadly passed away last summer whilst on holiday with her family.
Kevin Mashford, a representative of Transplant Sport, attended a Year 9 assembly at the school on 19th March, at which he received a cheque for £1,470, this being the amount raised so far from the non-uniform days, the sale of ‘Sarah’ wristbands and other events organised by the students.
The assembly was also attended by the headteacher and two student representatives from Wheatfield Primary School (previously attended by Sarah), which has also been involved in the fundraising activities.
Mr Mashford, who was born with a congenital heart defect, gave a moving account of how he had undergone a series of open heart operations from the age of 8, been fitted with pacemakers and suffered a stroke before he was lucky enough to receive a transplant in 2012.
Just 19 weeks after receiving his donated heart, he took part in a 30-mile cycling event in memory of his donor and to raise money for Transplant Sport.
According to Mr Mashford, 98% of people in the UK say they would take an organ if they needed one, but only 31% of us are registered as donors. He urged the students to consider registering and stressed the importance of donor card holders discussing their wishes with their next of kin, as half of all potential donor organs are currently “wasted at the bedside”.
This article originally appeared in the April 2014 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,450 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
